Recent footage has revealed a concerning trend of non-citizens being registered to vote in Minnesota, raising questions about the integrity of the state’s voter registration system.
The video, obtained by Anthony Rubin, CEO of Muckraker, showcases non-citizens admitting they are registered to vote. This discovery comes after the implementation of policies under Governor Tim Walz’s administration that may be contributing to this issue.
The footage, published by the Oversight Project, highlights a troubling situation at an apartment complex where 31% of those interviewed openly admitted to being non-citizens who had somehow ended up on the voter rolls.
The ease with which non-citizens are being registered to vote is a direct result of two recent laws passed by the Minnesota state legislature, both of which were signed by Governor Walz.
One of these controversial laws is the Driver’s License for All bill, which allows non-citizens, regardless of their immigration status, to obtain driver’s licenses in Minnesota.
Governor Walz defended the bill, stating that it enhances public safety by ensuring that more drivers are licensed and insured. “As a longtime supporter of this bill, I am proud to finally sign it into law, making our roads safer and moving us toward our goal of making Minnesota the best state to raise a family for everyone,” Walz stated.
The second law, known as the Democracy for the People Act, automatically registers individuals to vote when they interact with the state’s Driver and Vehicle Services (DVS).
This policy eliminates the need for individuals to “opt-in” to voter registration, which has raised concerns that non-citizens, including those who have recently received driver’s licenses, may inadvertently or intentionally be registered to vote.
The Minnesota Secretary of State’s office acknowledged that this new process simplifies voter registration by eliminating the checkbox that previously allowed applicants to opt-in.
Critics of these policies warned that allowing non-citizens to obtain driver’s licenses could lead to voter fraud, and now, these concerns appear to be justified. In the video, a disturbing conversation unfolds between an undercover interviewer and a non-citizen resident.
The resident admitted to being registered to vote despite not being a U.S. citizen. The conversation continued with the interviewer asking, “Who do you prefer? President Trump or Kamala Harris?” to which the non-citizen replied, “I mean not Trump… definitely not him.”
This alarming revelation is just one example of how residents, who openly admit to being non-citizens, are registered to vote under Minnesota’s current system. The footage has intensified the debate over the state’s voter registration processes and raised serious concerns about the potential for non-citizens to cast ballots in future elections.
Earlier this month, Republican Congressman Tom Emmer (R-MN), alongside several other Minnesota GOP members, sent a letter to Minnesota Secretary of State Steve Simon and Department of Public Safety Commissioner Bob Jacobson, seeking answers about reports that non-citizens have been receiving ballots.
The letter, co-signed by Representatives Pete Stauber, Michelle Fischbach, and Brad Finstad, pointed to the problematic combination of the automatic voter registration (AVR) system and the Driver’s License for All law.
They argued that these two policies together could inadvertently result in non-citizens being added to voter rolls and receiving primary ballots in the mail.
The AVR system, which automatically registers individuals when they renew their state-issued identification cards, was intended to streamline voter registration for eligible citizens.
However, critics argue that it has unintentionally opened the door to non-citizens being registered without proper verification. The combination of the AVR system and the new driver’s license law for non-citizens could, according to the letter, be “the fatal combination” that has led to non-citizens receiving ballots.
As the footage continues to circulate and the controversy grows, questions remain about the efficacy of Minnesota’s current voter registration safeguards.
The video has sparked a broader debate about election integrity and whether reforms are needed to prevent further incidents of non-citizens being registered to vote. With the 2024 elections approaching, this issue is likely to remain at the forefront of political discussions in the state.